Halloween fare designed to spook adults

Oct. 30, 2012

Even with their bags of candy and cute costumes, the days when kids cornered the market on Halloween long went the way of a Poe character. A cheese Sinister Spread gets a goth look from a coating of poppy seeds for adult Halloween parties. / GNS/Samuel M. Simpkins/The Tennessean)

Written by

Jennifer Justus

Gannett News Service

Even with their bags of candy and cute costumes, the days when kids cornered the market on Halloween long went the way of a Poe character. Mixologist Jon Yeager created a fall-flavored adult party cider at Cafe Fundamental in Nashville, Tenn. Oct. 18, 2012. (Gannett, Samuel M. Simpkins/The Tennessean) / GANNETT

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Even with their bags of candy and cute costumes, the days when kids cornered the market on Halloween long went the way of a Poe character. Thatís why we decided to focus on the adults this year with ideas for a Halloween menu thatís sophisticated yet laid-back.

Jon Yeager, a well-known Nashville mixologist who even created his own drinks app and blog, PourTaste, provided us with a house cocktail: a brandy cider.

We also pulled out an old-school party punch that can be spiked (or not) and brings together cranberry and sparkling cider with fall flavors such as cinnamon and ginger. Add a creepy touch by freezing water in a latex glove to make a hand-shaped block of ice for keeping this punch cool.

For the main course, serve steaming bowls of Ghastly Ghoulash. A riff on Hungarian goulash, itís chock-full of beef, onion, garlic, red wine, potatoes and paprika and ladled over egg noodles seasoned with caraway.

Finally, Devils on Horseback have long been named for the man downstairs no matter what time of year theyíre served. Itís a simple snack that bakes bacon around fruit for a sweet-savory bite. And thatís no trick, just treat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Wrap bacon pieces around prunes and secure with toothpicks. Bake on sheet until bacon is browned, about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Source: Everyday Food, October 2009

2 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch cubes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 medium onion, cut into one-fourth-inch dice

3 garlic cloves, minced

one-half cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon paprika

2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes

2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought beef stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 sprigs fresh oregano, plus extra leaves for garnish

2 carrots, peeled and cut into one-fourth-inch rounds

12 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 ounces thick bacon, cut into one-fourth-inch pieces

10 ounces small white mushrooms (quartered if large)

1 box (10 ounces) frozen pearl onions, thawed and drained

1 red or green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

Caraway Egg Noodles, for serving (recipe below)

Toss beef with salt, pepper and flour in a medium bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Brown half of beef on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer beef to a plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining beef and 2 tablespoons oil.

Add onion to fat in pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute. Add wine; cook, stirring up brown bits, until most liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Return beef to pot. Stir in paprika, tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; reduce heat. Gently simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 and one-half hours.

Stir in carrots and potatoes; continue to simmer until vegetables and meat are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large, dry skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add mushrooms, pearl onions and bell pepper to fat in skillet; cook until vegetables are tender and golden brown, and liquid has mostly evaporated. Add to goulash.

Season goulash with salt and pepper, if necessary. Garnish with bacon pieces and oregano. Serve with caraway egg noodles. Makes 12 servings.

Coarse salt

1 pound egg noodles

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted

Freshly ground pepper

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Cook noodles until al dente. Drain; return to pan. Add butter and seeds; toss. Season with salt and pepper.